The First Private School of Commerce Established in the Ottoman State: the Greek Trade School of Halki

The non-Muslim citizens of the Ottoman Empire established their own educational and training institutions within the territory of the state in accordance with their rights. Not only the non-Muslims but also the foreign states who had the right of trade within the territory of the Ottoman Empire, had established many institutions especially during the XIXth century. A number of business schools could be found within these instititutions established by both the non-muslim community and the aforementioned states. When the establishment date in the year of 1883 of the first official trade school of the Ottoman Empire “Hamidiye Ticaret Mekteb-i ？lisi” is set as a benchmark, it is clear that there were pre-existing trade schools opened within the borders of the state before it. Among these business schools, “The Greek Trade School Of Halki” is considered to be the first one. In addition to the studies that have been undertaken related to the school, by analysing documents of the Ottoman and Republican Archives, this article focuses on the process of the foundation of “The Greek Trade School Of Halki”, the courses offered within the institution and the phases that it went through